


Seven Days To The Wolves

by LWTIS



Series: Fairytale Collection [1]
Category: South Park
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Fairy Tale Retellings, M/M, Red Riding Hood Elements, kids your parents tell you not to stray from the path for a damned reason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 01:08:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15697059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LWTIS/pseuds/LWTIS
Summary: “Don’t wander off into the woods - and if you must, never stray from the path. If you do, you will fall prey to the Wolf.”Kyle never understood the paranoia. No one lived in the woods save for that kind, intriguing boy with the bright eyes and the sharp smile.//Red Riding Hood AU//





	Seven Days To The Wolves

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Townycod13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Townycod13/gifts).



 

There were three things the adults never got tired of saying.

_“Take that out of your mouth right now!”_

_“Because I told you so, that’s why.”_

And most often:

_“Don’t wander off into the woods - and if you must, never stray from the path. If you do, you will fall prey to the Wolf.”_

Sheila Broflovski, Chairwoman of the Village Council and a proud mother of two, was no exception. Every morning, after breakfast, she had sent him off with a kiss to his forehead and a warning against his hair, holding his promise to be back before dark like a blood-forged sword over his head.  
This morning had been no exception. Her grip on his shoulder was firm, and Kyle had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He so wished she would stop treating him like a _child_ \- he was _seven,_ after all. Hardly a babe that needed to be told not to wander off the path.

The branches sway above him as he kneels down in the grass, whispering their quiet secrets in the breeze. It makes his hair flutter around his face, bringing the scent of pine and damp moss along with it. He’s engrossed in a seemingly endless battle between two beetles when a branch snaps to his right.  
When he raises his head, he’s greeted with the sight of wide blue eyes.  
There’s a tiny head peeking out from behind the trunk of a thousand-year-old oak tree. It’s wrapped in a swaddle of soft-looking furs, covering his nose, mouth and most of his hair. His eyes are wide, swallowing up the visible parts of his face, bright and intense in sparkling shades of the summer sky.    
Distantly, they reminded Kyle of his friend’s dog right before he is taken off his leash and released in a field.

“Hello?” he calls out to the boy. He gets a little jump in response - and after a beat of silence, little hands appear from behind the tree to give the redhead a shy wave.

It’s...very cute.

“Are you lost?” Kyle asks. He pushes himself to his feet, taking a step towards the tree.

The boy blinks. Then shakes his head.    
Relief floods Kyle. That means he doesn’t have to sacrifice his afternoon in coaxing the boy back into the village and rounding up the elders in an attempt to find his guardians. Pleased, he extends his hands.

“Do you want to play?”

They prove to be the magic words. The boy perks up, nodding rapidly before scurrying out from behind the tree to join Kyle in the clearing.  
(He half expects a tail to trail behind him, wagging in his obvious excitement.)

\---

His name is Kenny, and he doesn’t talk very much. On the rare occasion he does, his words are muffled almost beyond comprehension by the thick furs. He is not the brightest when it comes to names or places, blinking owlishly when Kyle brings up characters from popular stories or the books they studied in Church. On a rainy afternoon, Kyle discovers the joy of telling commonplace stories to someone for the very first time.     
Kenny’s hair is blonde underneath his hood, dirty in colour and permanently messy. His nails are long and blackened with dirt, ungroomed and disgusting. They leave grooves on the barks of the trees they climb, Kenny always shooting ahead with absolute confidence. His movements are fused with an odd sort of grace, one that lingers whilst he runs. He’s like a bolt of lightning, side-stepping branches and obstacles with ease, no matter where they race. Despite his best efforts, Kyle cannot overtake him, even once.    

“Again!” Kyle demands, voice breathless with exhaustion. His hand trembles just slightly as he reaches to grab onto his friend’s sleeve. “Again! I’ll beat you this time!”

Kenny is always all-too happy to comply.

\---

“Do you live in the village on the other side of the woods?”

Kenny hums, eyes fixed on the tower of the mud-fortress they were in the middle of making.

“My Ma says it’s full of hooligans and crazies that howl at the moon.” Kyle shares. He wipes the mud off his nose with his sleeve. The other boy’s eyes crinkle with a hidden smile.

“You could say that.”

\---

Kenny is shy.  
Sometimes, he disappears for days or weeks on end. Whenever Kyle has company, be it his family or any of his friends, he remains hidden and quiet. He offers no explanations or apologies once he re-emerges. His smile is small and awkward whenever questioned.  
Eventually, Kyle stops asking.  

\---

The summers pass, blending into the golden colours of the fall. Winter melts into spring, and into summer once more. With each year, Kyle grows taller and taller, slowly filling out into the old clothes of his father.  
Kenny’s envy is visible, even with most of his face hidden behind furs and fabric. Inexplicably, that little fact is enough to make Kyle giddy with joy.

\---

He is not the only one who is changing, body morphing and mind singing with brand new ideas and impulses.  
His friend Stan has already surpassed him in height, shoulders broad and voice dipping into deeper decibels. His attention, once so meticulously fixated on nature and music, is now fickle and easily distracted by the slightest flicker of long black hair and sweet lips.  
He listens, mostly out of obligation and partly out of curiosity. They lie awake under the sanctuary of blankets and pillows long after the candles have been extinguished, eyes fixed on the dark ceilings as Stan puts words to his feelings - fluttery and overwhelming.

“Have you just - I just - have you ever seen someone, and had known that they were important - that they were the one you wanted? With unflinching, unwavering certainty?”

“No.” Kyle confesses. His fingers trace the bumps of the embroidery on his blanket, and he thinks the whole concept sounds fucking terrifying. It should not elate Stan so much.  

“You will. I’m sure you will, one day - and when you do, you’ll understand.”

\---

He dreams of hands, that night. Warm hands, sliding over his cheeks, a thumb dragging across his lower lip. He thinks he smells pine trees - and then there are lips against his forehead, and he is home.

\---

“Hey, Kenny.”

“Hmmm?”

“How come I’ve never seen your face?”

The question takes the blonde by surprise, judging by the stiffening of his shoulders. Slowly, Kyle turns so he can take in the wide-eyed expression of his friend.

“Uh.” Kenny helpfully replies. The furs over his mouth shift with an uneasy swallow. “I...no reason in particular?”

“Can I?” The request slips free even before Kenny finishes speaking. “See your face?”

There’s a pause - long enough for an uncomfortable tremble of anticipation to work its way down Kyle’s spine. And then Kenny reaches for his scarf, only hesitating a second before tugging it down.   
Kyle’s breath catches in his throat, heart stuttering pathetically.  
Sweet, round cheeks, with a button nose to match - a little crooked, as if broken years before, and smattered with freckles. His bangs curl around his face messily, thick enough to hide both his ears. When his lips tug into a self-conscious, close-lipped smile, it looks even sweeter than it ever did in his mind’s eye.

And in that moment - watching the sunlight paint a dappled pattern over the freckled skin of Kenny’s nose - all of Stan’s sappy ramblings suddenly make sense.

\---

He’s often been told that he is much too impulsive.

The problem seemed to be that the things he was scolded for, Kyle rarely regretted any of them. Punching a mouthy bully, blurting out his feelings for a crush in public, sneaking out of his window in the middle of the night to watch the meteor shower with his friends - all committed under the snare of impulsive emotions. And given the chance, he would gladly do them again.

Perhaps that's why it's unsurprising that on the afternoon when Kenny leans over to pluck the leaves out from his hair, Kyle moves to close the distance between their lips.  
It’s not the most graceful kiss, by any means. It only lasts a few seconds - but it’s enough to leave Kyle with a thunderous, panicky pulse once they break apart. He gets a split second to draw a breath before there’s a hand at his cheek, noses bumping together as the other boy crowds back into his space.  
Kenny’s lips are soft and so, so warm. When he tilts his head, his teeth graze against Kyle’s lower lip, sharp enough to make him shiver. His fingers find purchase in the material of the blonde’s jacket, the furs warm and soft against his grip. Eventually, they break apart, lips swollen and breathless.     

“Kyle.” Kenny whispers, breath warm against his skin. He looks at the redhead with warm reverence, the intensity of his gaze melting the bones of his knees into jelly.

Behind him, he can see the familiar signs of the sun starting to set. He knows he has to start making his way home, lest he threatens his mother’s wrath - and yet he finds himself leaning back in.  
Just one more won’t hurt.

\---

His lips still burn hours later, tingling with the phantom pressure of another’s touch. If he closes his eyes, he can still see Kenny’s smile.  
On the tip of his tongue, the taste still lingers. Sharp, heavy. Foreign.

Funny that Stan never mentioned how kisses tasted just a little like blood.

\---

“There’s no wolf in that forest.”

All gazes whip to the tall girl’s table - some intrigued, some sceptical. Wendy doesn’t wait for the inevitable questions to elaborate. “If there was, our livestock would go missing. There would be property damage. There would be sightings - such a dangerous creature cannot go unnoticed for _years_.”

“Then why would our parents tell us about the wolf every single day?” Kyle feels inclined to ask.

“It’s a metaphor.” Wendy said, proudly. “A warning. For us not to go wandering off, in case we get lost.”

\---

Before he knows it, the sun is rising on the anticipated day, and he is being ushered out of the doorway and towards his coming-of-age ceremony.  
The biggest room in the village hall is barely enough to hold all his relatives, the walls straining with the noise of their laughter, their cheers of encouragement. The music pulses against his ears as he ascends the steps of the small wooden stage, where the familiar figure of his parents await him.  
A sermon and traditional blessings later, a bright red cape is draped over his shoulders, fitted with a hood that fits perfectly snug over his head. His mother’s hands tremble as she ties the strings to keep the garment in place.

“My sweet boy.” she whispers. Her eyes, crinkled with joy, glitter with tears yet unshed. “Grown into such a fine young man.”

Hours later, a different set of hands trace over the material with an appreciative noise.

“You look stunning.” Kenny whispers, smirk tender and just a little crooked. “It’s my favourite colour on you.”

“Is it now?”

The blonde hums. A thumb swipes across the bridge of Kyle’s nose, right before tracing down the side of his neck.

“Mhmm. Especially when it’s painted right across your skin here~”

\---

As an adult, the restrictions slowly ease. He is now permitted to travel outside of the village unsupervised, at whatever time of the night he wishes.  
His mother’s worries grow as Kyle gets bolder. She still sends him off every morning with a kiss to his hair and a warning not to stray from the path, lest he falls prey to the Wolf.  
The words that once stirred fear and fascination within him now only make him feel sorry for his mother, to her desperation in clinging to old traditions of childhood.

\---

“The next time you come into the forest, bring food with you. Meat. Enough to feed at least three.”

Kenny’s words are surprisingly sombre. When the redhead turns his head to catch his gaze, he finds the blonde’s expression matching his tone.

“...is that a thinly veiled suggestion?”

His lips don’t even twitch.

“Just - promise me this, Kyle.” he asks. Sky-blue eyes bore into his, unblinking and unflinching. “Please.”

His stomach twists. All of a sudden, his skin feels very cold.

“...I promise.”

\---

Grandmother Broflovski had moved away from the village when Kyle was still in diapers, claiming to tire of the noise and the politics. She had found sanctuary in a little cabin at the foot of the mountains, at a comfortable walk’s distance from the village, and her family.  
He adjusts the cape over his shoulder with a quiet hum, the generous weight of the basket digging into his arm with every step. Luckily, his mother was always overly generous when it came to food, easily packing enough to ease his mind of any guilt over breaking a promise to Kenny.

The branches sway above him, sunlight filtering through the leaves. Ahead of him, the path stretches, in all its familiar glory.  
To his side, the woods beckon.

There is a voice in his ear as his boots sink into the grass, the old warning ingrained deep enough to make him stumble. But he shakes himself, quickening his steps.  
There was no Wolf.  
The only thing living in these forests were squirrels, birds, deer - and a boy with bright eyes and a sweet smile.

The trees are even lusher the deeper he wanders, unveiling their secrets to him one by one. There are flowers in the shape of dragon heads, their smell making him dizzy. The branches hide tiny, intricate nests, housing a dozen eggs with bright blue shells. In the shade, mushrooms populate the trunks of long-dead trees, hats frayed and spotty.

He doesn’t realise just how far he had strayed until he hears a branch snap behind him.  
When he glances over his shoulder, he is greeted with a pair of blazing yellow eyes.

He thinks he hears someone yell as he stumbles backwards, trying to put as much distance between him and the beast as he can. His knees give out the moment his back hits the trunk of a pine tree.  
In response, the beast’s lips curl back just far enough to expose his teeth.

There was no Wolf in the woods.  
There were five.

Near-silently, they circle around him, claws sinking deep into the earth with each step. There are two closest to him, fur grey and hunger evident. The one to his right snaps his teeth in anticipation, eyes fixed on Kyle’s throat as they pad closer.  
He is going to die. Fuck, fuck, _fuck,_ he is going to die, alone in the woods, and there will be nothing left of him to bury. All because he thought himself cleverer than an entire village.

There’s a flash of gold. Something soft brushes against his side, and suddenly one of the wolves is by his side, teeth bared and tail raised. In hushed tones, he growls at the leaders of the small pack.  
He doesn’t know when he dropped his basket. But when his eyes wearily ease back open, it has been emptied already, the grey wolves are busy tugging the grilled chicken to pieces. With a triumphant snarl, the bigger one tears a leg free. She pulls back long enough to beckon the smallest wolf closer, dropping the meat in front of her. Kyle can only watch in numb silence as the meal his mother prepared for his grandmother disappears in the mouths of the wolves in a matter of minutes. The entire time, the golden wolf doesn’t move from his side. 

When the last morsel has been consumed, they turn their attention back onto him. He holds his breath as the two grey wolves approach him, their gazes piercing right through him. From this distance, the sour smell of their breath is painfully evident.  
Slowly, the beasts share a glance. And then, with a dip of their head, they take turns to sniff at Kyle before simply walking past him.

It takes the redhead several minutes to move, the dwindling adrenaline leaving his limbs stinging with pins and needles, heart tirelessly slamming against his chest. His gasp for air is weak, air stinging his lung with vicious intensity. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the golden wolf turn to face him. Almost hesitantly, his front paws move to rest on the redhead’s thigh.  
Kyle stares into the animal’s wide, sky-blue eyes. At the soft, golden fur, matted in patches. At the guilty, remorseful curve of his tail.    
And suddenly, the pieces click in place.

\---

“Don’t touch me.”

There’s a low whine next to him, followed by a damp nose against his hand. He tugs it away, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. His gaze remains fixed stubbornly ahead, ignoring the wolf trotting by his side, easily keeping up with Kyle’s furious pace.  

“Leave me alone!” he snaps when the tension gets _too much_ , eyes blazing as he whirls around to face his unwanted canine companion. “I can’t believe this!”

The wolf - _Kenny -_ stumbles to a halt, spine slumped and ears flat against his skull.

“You lied to me! All this while, you’ve been lying to me!” Kyle finds himself yelling, his voice breaking dangerously. He’s tempted to make a grab for the other, to sink his fingers into the fur and shake him until the human shape tumbled out from the body of the wolf. “Was this all a fucking ruse? Befriending me, lulling me into a false sense of security, so I’d leave the path and you could - you could eat me?!”

Hurt flashes through Kenny’s eyes, raw and clear. He bares his teeth at the other in a silent growl before straightening up and taking off into the other direction. In the blink of an eye, he is gone, and Kyle is alone.

Fingers clenched into trembling fists, he tries to take a deep breath - and another one, and another one after that. He starts counting down internally, steadily increasing the numbers even as his breath starts coming out in choppy, breathless sobs.    
A rustling of leaves is the only warning he gets before Kenny re-appears by his side. Clamped between his jaws is the handle of the picnic basket. He waits to the redhead to finish wiping his face dry before approaching him. Gingerly, he sets it down on the grass, right by Kyle’s feet.  
Somehow, it’s still in one piece. Only a piece of bread and the unopened bottle of wine remains.  
Kyle stares at the basket a little too long. When he looks up again, shaky grip tight on the handle, Kenny has moved again, into the shade of an oak in the distance.  
Behind him, the familiar roof of Grandmother Broflovski stands proudly above the treeline.

Their eyes meet for a moment. Then, within a hasty blink, he is alone once again.

\---

Grandmother Broflovski is suspiciously pleased with just the wine. Whether her lack of questions is due to her impeccable empathy or her short-sightedness, it is a welcome relief.

\---

He doesn’t dare to hope when he slips out of the house in the middle of the night, only pausing long enough to tug on his boots and throw his cape over his nightclothes.  
And yet, when he arrives to the clearing, there’s a familiar figure by the trunk of the oak tree. Even in the stuttering moonlight, he can see the tenseness in Kenny’s shoulders.  
Kyle takes a step forwards. Cautiously, the blonde mirrors his movements, right until they’re just a foot apart.

“It wasn’t a ruse.” His voice is scratchy and gruff. Like he hadn’t used it in a while, and has forgotten just how to speak. “...it wasn’t.”

There’s a soft sort of desperation dancing in his eyes, like a candle on the verge of being blown out by the wind. Slowly, Kyle’s hands reach for him. His fingers settle in the furs covering Kenny’s hair, the softness now frighteningly familiar to the touch.

“Let me see.” he whispers. “Let me see you.”

A tremble runs along the muscles of Kenny’s throat. He thinks he sees fear flashing through his eyes before a forehead presses against his own, Kenny’s permission a soft sigh against his lips.  
It takes one firm tug to pull the furs down. From the mess of his hair, a familiar pair of ears twitch at the attention.  It’s impossible to resist the urge to touch them.  
There’s a hasty gasp before Kenny pulls away and straightens up, ears flattening against his skull. With his eyes ablaze and tips of fangs resting on his lower lip, Kyle wonders how he could have ever missed it before.

“...you told me to carry food with me.”

“I knew it was only a matter of time before you strayed from the path.” the blonde murmurs. His lips twitch. “No amount of warning would keep you from going where you wanted to.”

“...is that why you made me promise?”

Kenny tilts his head, finally surrendering to the urge to smile. “Wolves don’t attack a respectful human who brings an appropriate offering when entering their territory.” Warm hands slide around Kyle’s waist as he closes the distance between them. In a few steps, his back is pressed against the trunk of the oak tree, Kenny’s voice a smooth whisper against his ear.  

“In fact, they welcome them.”

\---

Sheila’s arms around his frame are tight, per usual. When she pulls back, he can see the crows feet at the corner of her eyes, barely disguised by masterfully applied make-up.

“Have a good day, Kyle.” she croons, hands smoothing down the lapels of his cape. “And remember, don’t stray from the path.”

“I know, Ma.” he replies, voice soft. He hopes the smile he gives her is reassuring. “I won’t fall prey to any Wolf.”

\---

He can feel the eyes on him as soon as his feet leave the worn dirt of the path. It sweeps through him, practically devouring him with its ferocity. Feigning ignorance, he continues his walk, chin lifting just a little higher with each step. 

There’s a rustle of leaves. A creak of a branch.  
And suddenly, a weight throws itself at his back, knocking him off balance and sending them both tumbling into the grass. Kyle finds himself pushed on his back by firm hands, a weight settling over his lap as an unfurling figure casts a shadow over his face.

“Well, well.” comes the purr from above him. Fangs flash in the midday sun as Kenny dips his head, ears twitching with delight. “What do we have here?”

“Was this  _really_ necessary?” Kyle wheezes. He squirms underneath the other, aiming a half-hearted kick at Kenny’s legs.

“Absolutely.” the blonde replies seriously. He doesn’t even bother trying to evade Kyle’s movements. “You know what you cloaked in all that lovely red does to me.”

“Ah. Yes. You and your  _hunter instincts._ ”

“The very same!” Kenny nods. He bares his teeth in a mock snarl, voice dropping into a deep, fake growl. “It looks like you have fallen straight into my trap, you sweet young thing!”

“Kenny, _seriously -_ “

“Struggling is futile!” the blonde continues cheerfully. He noses into Kyle’s neck, nibbling at his jaw before blowing the loudest, most obnoxious raspberry against his skin. He doesn’t relent until Kyle is practically sobbing with laughter. “No matter how loud you scream, no one will hear you!”

Blinking back tears, Kyle gasps for air.  
And then he reaches to thread his fingers through messy blonde hair at the nape of Kenny’s neck, yanking him down.

“Good.” is the last thing he whispers before sealing their lips together, effectively rendering the Wolf of the Forest speechless.

\---

 

  
AN:

So I saw this [GORGEOUS fanart](http://townycod13.tumblr.com/post/176881955823/fairytale-collab-with-bringingtherain) by [towny](http://townycod13.tumblr.com/)  [(AS WELL AS THIS HERE)](http://townycod13.tumblr.com/post/176910378588/doodle-dump) and [bringingtherain](http://bringingtherain.tumblr.com/) and my hand might have slipped. You guys are amazing and spoil us so - thank you for all your hard work <3

(Please forgive any glaringly obvious mistakes, it's one am here) 

Title from the [Nightwish song of the same name](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7CutrQ_DNA&list=PLfHdn3h2J5u4Lx1u_uowxZYmFIG-J1sHP&index=12), which I had on repeat whilst writing this - as well as [Last Of The Wilds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8XF5466mwM&list=PLfHdn3h2J5u4Lx1u_uowxZYmFIG-J1sHP&index=11), which is a really good song in general to write to. 

Hope you guys enjoy - any thoughts are super appreciated <3 If you're on Tumblr, [hit me up! ](https://lwtis.tumblr.com/) 


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